Residents fear neighbourhood mosque dispute could escalate

Residents campaigning against a proposed 2000 square metre mosque in a quiet Sydney suburban street fear the dispute is taking a turn for the worse.

Supporters of the proposed mosque in Carlton have been caught stealing signs erected by residents who oppose the project. 

CCTV shows a small group of young men removing a sign from a front fence.

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Locals snapped other young men making off with signs plucked from their properties. 

Dianne, who has lived on Botany Street with her parents her whole life, fears the escalating tension is changing the neighbourhood forever. 

"With the amount of hostility we have seen, people are now refusing to come out because we are scared," she told A Current Affair.

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"But some of the things we are hearing as people pass by is, 'we are coming' … 'it's a done deal' … 'you can't stop us'.

"It's a democratic right (to protest). We are not harming anyone. There is nothing on the signs offensive or rude."

Locals feel council has hurried the proposal through the approvals process during the tough COVID-19 restrictions when they haven't had an opportunity to meet and organise protests. 

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The development application allows for just 20 worshippers during normal prayers and 120 during religious festivals, but residents are concerned these limits will increase given the size of the mosque.

"The first prayer time is at 5.30 in the morning and ends at 10pm," resident Stella said.

The Local Planning Panel will to decide whether the project is given the go ahead tomorrow.

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But NSW Labor leader Chris Minns, the local member, made an eleventh-hour intervention on Monday when he wrote to the council's mayor to ask for the hearing to be postponed until after the current lockdown. 

"The residents … are in lockdown, under stay at home orders, subject to a curfew and unable to have physical contact with people they do not live with," Mr Minns' letter states.

"Residents are unable to meet, organise, scrutinise or communicate in person with each other before the decision is made."

More than 4300 residents have objected to the mosque in submissions to council.

A Current Affair contacted all three councillors in the ward - Vince Badalati, Christina Wu, and Nancy Liu - but a Georges River Council spokeswoman said in a statement councillors weren't allowed to comment.

"The mayor and councillors are unable to comment on the application, as under NSW legislation … Councillors are prohibited from having any involvement in the preparation of a DA assessment report," the spokeswoman said.

Residents stressed their opposition to the development was entirely related to concerns of increased traffic, noise, and its impact on the dynamic of the neighbourhood.

It has nothing to do with Islam, they said.  

"I'd like to make it really clear, no matter what worship it is - church, temple, or mosque, (it) is not permitted in the R2 zone," Margaret, another resident, said.

But Muslim community leader Keyser Trad, who is a close friend of the developers, said the mosque would benefit the whole community.  

"We should give these people a chance and see what beautiful friendships emerge," Mr Trad said.

"They want to be model citizens as they have been throughout their lives and they want to make sure that this mosque will be a centre of pride for the whole area.

"We've never had any problems with churches being on our streets. I don't know why we are now raising issues with mosques."

Statement by Georges River Council:

D21/196999

23 August 2021

Development Application for Place of Public Worship: 88-92 Botany Street, Carlton (DA2019/0644)

• The assessment of the above development application will be considered by the independent Georges River Local Planning Panel (GRLPP) on 26 August 2021.

• The GRLPP is the legislated independent consent authority for this application - not the elected Council.

• The Mayor and Councillors are unable to comment on the application, as under NSW legislation:

- Elected members (Councillors) are prohibited from having any involvement in the preparation of a DA assessment report.

-       Councillors are prohibited from instructing or directing staff, consultants or the Panel Members on any DA.

-       Councillors are prohibited from discussing any DA that will come before the Panel in the future for determination.

-       Councillors have no role in approving or refusing any DA in the Georges River area.

• Further detail regarding inappropriate interactions between Councillors and local planning panels can be found in the relevant legislation (refer to the Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW).

• Places of Public Worship are currently a permitted land use in R2 residential zones within the Hurstville LEP 2012.

• A copy of the application documentation and a completed assessment report is available on Council's website.

• The public component of the meeting will be available to view on the Council website please - see https://www.georgesriver.nsw.gov.au/Council/Council-Meetings.